Damnum
by CreativePunk77
Summary: Set just before the beginning of Series Two. A short conversation leads to a potential break up of a relationship. Harvey/Ingrid.


**Harvey and Ingrid would get back together in the aftermath of these events.**

* * *

 **DAMNUM**

"What?"

Surely, she had misheard him. The phrase he had just uttered had been a slip of the tongue, a spoken fantasy that would never come true. But Ingrid Smith knew it was true. _Every word of it._

Her boyfriend was like an open book, so easy to read. The guilt that swamped his face was a dead giveaway and her heart wrenched as the words sunk in. Tears forming in her eyes, she sputtered:

"B-But you c-can't!"

Harvey bit his lip, mumbling: "I _have_ to. I'm sorry, Ing-Ing."

Ingrid turned her head away, attempting to will the tears back. She heard Harvey shuffle closer towards her, gasping out a sob as he slipped his arm around her and pulled her to his chest. Harvey's lips became bloody as he bit down harder, his chocolate brown eyes also swimming with tears.

Ingrid clutched at his white t-shirt, soaking the material with her tears. An anguished wail ripped free from her, her small frame trembling, breaths ragged. Harvey settled a hand onto Ingrid's back, slowly tracing his fingers through it.

"Ssh, Ingy. It's alright, _it's going to be alright."_

He recoiled as Ingrid pushed herself upright and away from him, burning gaze penetrating his own. Face screwed up in fury, she hissed:

" _Nothing_ is going to be alright! _I am going to lose you!"_

"Hey…" Harvey leant forwards, encasing Ingrid's hands within his own. His eyes were on hers and he would not allow his vision to waver.

"You are _not_ going to _lose me!_ If _any_ girls try to flirt with me or ask me out, then I'll tell them that I'm taken! Ing, I would _never_ be unfaithful to you."

"I know… But I was talking more about us having to end the relationship."

"W-What?! Why would we do t-that?!"

"Oh, I don't know… Maybe something to do with you _MOVING AWAY?!"_

Harvey reeled back, hands loosening his grip on his girlfriend's. "That's not my f-fault!"

"Maybe not, but this relationship won't last!"

"Well… it will. If we make it _work."_

Ingrid sighed, the tears continuing to stream down her face, but she made no move to brush them away. "How are we going to make it _work_ , exactly?"

"We… We can skype each other! And call and text! You can get the train down, or I can come back here! We can meet up during the holidays! We can…"

He trailed off, seeing that Ingrid did not look convinced. She slipped her hands free, flashing a miniscule smile at him.

"But it's not the same as _what we have now._ I want to be able to go on dates with you, have sleepovers, watch Nightmare On Elm Street and gorge ourselves on pizza in the SPLAT Shed!"

"We can still do those things!"

Ingrid shook her head, whispering: "But I want to have the availability of doing those things _whenever._ Not have to wait to see you in person for up to a year!"

Her voice trembled as she whispered: "Face it Harvey, we aren't going to last."

Harvey's hands flopped into his lap as he sniffled, murmuring sorrowfully:

"I don't believe that, but if it _doesn't_ work out, well… We'll always have memories, right?"

Ingrid nodded, then cupped his face with her hands. Leaning forwards, she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before pulling away abruptly. Folding her hands on top of one another, she nudged the grass with her foot, vision downcast.

Harvey sighed, clambering to his feet. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he ambled off, wishing that he had never told Ingrid about his parent's decision.

* * *

The big day arrived, and Harvey felt dread settle into his stomach. He peered out of the car window, cursing the murkiness of the weather. Stationed in the distance were numerous people the Hunters knew, waving them off to their new neighbourhood.

Lloyd was rambling about moving to 'the most isolated place in this country', and Dinah was exclaiming about the new house and that when the others came to visit, they could go on nature walks.

A lone tear flashed down Harvey's cheek as Mrs Hunter started the car up. As the car rolled forwards, his siblings and mother shouted out their good-byes, but Harvey stayed silent. The murkiness had dissipated enough for him to confirm his worst fears.

 _Ingrid was not among the crowd._

Harvey's hand suddenly grappled with his locket as the tear became a steady stream. One thought plagued his mind as they left his childhood home behind.

' _Maybe it is all over… She was right, we are NEVER going to last.'_


End file.
